We are in the midst of our first truly “cold day” of the season. Usually, at this point in November, we are seeing temperatures in the high 40s and up to the low 60s. However, today the high is supposed to reach only 36! Much too cold for this time of year here in CT.
While I was glad to finally be able to acceptably wear a sweater to work today, all I can think about is wanting to stay home, under blankets and sip warm tea.
I think this week, I’m going to make a soup recipe. Even though by Friday, the weather should return to more seasonable temperatures.
I know the blog has been quiet, and I want to apologize for that. I have decided to take a short hiatus from writing the cookbook reviews. I will probably resume with one or two in December. The rest will be completed in 2021.
I did not cook anything Ina-related last week, so I have no new recipes to post. However, I do plan to make a few things this week and this weekend. So, stay tuned! I also plan to write more posts in the “Shopping” category. This will entail buying special groceries or tools and what not.
Here it is! The recipe review you’ve ALL been waiting for — at least I hope!
On Sunday afternoon, I made IG’s Banana Chocolate Crumb Cake and let me just say, it did not disappoint.
In the post announcing that this would be the recipe I would make this weekend, I said that the headnotes for the recipe were two sentences. After making it, I can see why Ina did that. The taste of this cake speaks for itself!
Following that pattern, this post will be short and sweet. Below is a photo of the finished product. I highly, highly, highly recommend you try this for yourself.
The cake before going into the oven.The cake while cooling.
Doesn’t it look just divine!?
“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.” – Julia Child
While I used the recipe out of Make it Ahead, this recipe is included in ALL of Ina’s cookbooks. It is the same recipe, regardless of which cookbook you use. Also, since it is repeated in each book, it will only be counted as one recipe. For more information on how I determined the number of recipes I will be making for this project, please see my first couple of posts. These can be found using the Archive feature on the homepage.
I finally did it!
I made Ina’s Homemade Chicken Stock recipe! This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a few years and I finally had a chance to do it. I will say, that buying stock at the store is so much easier….and worth it! But, I’m still glad I had this experience. Now, I just need to use it all up within in the next six months!
I have a few photos that document the process that I will post below. But first, my review.
For the most part of making this recipe, things are easy. No peeling vegetables, no chopping or dicing. Just slice things in half and toss into the pot. Then bring it to a boil and simmer for four hours. However, it did take over over an hour to come to a boil even on high heat!
The real work starts AFTER the simmering. It’s when you have to strain everything. First I took a slotted remove to remove some of the larger pieces and that worked okay. I transferred everything into a stainless steel bowl and as it got full, I dumped it into a new garbage bag. That was tricky….and messy.
Once the larger pieces were removed, I poured the contents of the pot over a fine mesh sieve over another stainless steel bowl. More mess was met! Once it was cool, I took a one-cup measure glass and scooped up stock and poured it into the containers. That wasn’t very messy, but a little time-consuming.
After letting the stock cool completely, I put some in the freezer and left some in the fridge for now. I did taste the finished stock and, surprisingly, it was pretty bland. I know can see why Ina adds a lot of salt and pepper to her recipes that call for stock.
While it was fun and and interesting experience, I don’t think I’ll be doing it again. It’s very costly and time-consuming. Not to mention the mess it makes! Maybe, in the future, I’ll cut the recipe in half and make less….that may make things somewhat more manageable.
Here are the pictures with captions.
The pot I cooked it in! It’s 20 Quarts!The quartered onions that were used in the stock. I used three of the largest ones I could find.The two chickens I used (almost 15 lbs. of meat!) and some of the vegetables. Just missing the turnips in this picture.Added the 7 quarts of water, the herbs, and the whole head of garlic.The stock simmering away. Sorry this photo orientation is not like the others!Finally! The finished, strained, and packaged chicken stock!
I hope it turns out that this was worth the effort!
A few posts ago, I mentioned that I will be taking the week off from making dinner for my family. But, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to cook anything.
This decision is both good and bad for me. I have the freedom to make whatever I want: an appetizer, a side dish, a lunch recipe, or even something from the Breakfast category. The downside to this is just that: there are still sooo many choices!
After some deep thought, soul searching, snacking, and examining recipes. I settled on a recipe: Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake.
Why?
Cuz why not! It sounds amazing, doesn’t it? I think it does. And I can’t wait to share the final product with you all.
This recipe comes from the Breakfast section of Make it Ahead. The recipe photo in the book looks divine and Ina’s headnotes for the recipe consist of but two sentences. Which is very unlike Ina. I guess she wanted the recipe to speak for itself!
Practically, this recipe will be a rather cheap make. Looking over the ingredients, I see I will only need a small handful of items. I am considering omitting the sliced almonds to help keep the cost down (unless I can steal since from my Grandma). After all, I don’t need very many (3 tablespoons).
I’m not sure yet when I will make this recipe. It will be sometime this weekend (so between today and Sunday afternoon). But since this recipe calls for ripe bananas, I need to do some prep work first: I bought the bananas Thursday evening and I’ll have them sit in a bag overnight or longer so that they get to the proper ripeness, if needed.
But other than that, I’m ready to go!
Also, this is my 50th post on the blog! If you’ve been with me since the beginning: Thank you! Your support and “Likes” mean a lot. Don’t forget that I do welcome comments. So don’t be afraid!
This is part of a 12-part series where I review each one of Ina Garten’s twelve cookbooks. The previous reviews can be found earlier in the feed of posts. They come out on Thursdays, usually for 1:30 PM. This is the sixth review in the series.
Who doesn’t love green as the main color on a book? It’s so vibrant and pairs nicely for a cookbook.
Ina Garten’s sixth cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is another one of quintessential “TV Ina.” But that’s not a bad thing! This is another book that makes Ina related to the home cook, whether they are seasoned or just starting out.
In addition to the Parmesan Chicken I made last Saturday, I made two side dishes. Both of which complemented the main course nicely.
The buttermilk mashed potatoes are amazing! As someone who doesn’t get to have mashed potatoes very often, these were a welcome addition the meal. The potatoes were so creamy and flavorful. The salt Ina calls for is a lot, but the potatoes do not taste overly salty. The addition of pepper merges all the flavors and makes for a very tasty side dish.
The Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots are hands down, the BEST carrot recipe I’ve come across!
Using ginger, honey, and orange juice to turn up the volume on these carrots was a great choice for the meal I made. But, it’s also a great recipe crafted by the great IG! In fact, my family loved these carrots so much that we will be making them for our small family gathering at Thanksgiving. I can see them making a regular appearance at the Thanksgiving table year after year.
They are also going to be the first side dish recipe added to my list of Favorites!
As I may have mentioned earlier, I will be taking this week off from cooking dinner. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to make an IG recipe! I plan to bake this weekend, but not dessert! Probably muffins or scones. Both of those are types of food I haven’t attempted yet. Plus it’ll be a good excuse to tackle one of the Breakfast recipes!
Come back to the blog tomorrow to check out my review of Back to Basics!
